SANTA CRUZ -- With every swing, step and hop, Herb Rossman is beating stress. The 85-year-old has been a part of the Santa Cruz Table Tennis Club since 1992, attending meetings in the basement of the Portuguese Hall two nights per week.

"The club has really been my therapy," Rossman said at a recent club meeting. "It's been good for me socially, psychologically and physically."

Rossman, who has participated in more than 35 tennis table tournaments, continues to be a contender despite his age. Or maybe his age is a boon -- he's essentially the grandfather of the group, watching over newer members looking to take a swing at the popular game of back and forth.

"I sort of play the gatekeeper role," Rossman said. "That's why I love this game; you play all kinds of people. I'm an old man, and I go to tournaments and play old men, old women and 9-year-olds who are better than me."

While Rossman dabbled in table tennis "socially" growing up in Pennsylvania, he mainly practiced four-wall handball, a game played in a 20-foot by 20-foot room.

He grew up, lived in and went to school in Pennsylvania until his daughter moved to Santa Cruz to teach at UC Santa Cruz in the late 1980s. After falling in love with the mild climate and diverse culture, Rossman and his wife Anita decided to move to the West Coast in 1992.

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After hearing about the local tennis table club led by Richard Williams and Jim Langley, Rossman decided to dust off the old paddle board and start swinging again. He instantly made an impression on the club members.

"How many people can play table tennis like he can?" Williams said. "He's able to beat out the younger kids."

Born: Dec. 11, 1927, in PennsylvaniaFamily: Wife Anita; son Jeff, 59; Tammi, 56 and Steven, 47Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting, Penn State; master's in business administration, Drexel University; law degree, Temple UniversityKeeping busy: Rossman attended school for his master's at night while working at General Electric. He also worked toward his law degree at night school. 'It was for four years, five nights per week, and my wife was working as a teacher at the time.'Teaching Versus Law: 'I was really a professor far more than a lawyer.'introduction to Santa Cruz: When Rossman first visited Santa Cruz in October 1989, he experienced the Loma Prieta earthquake. 'I was driving a car from the Westside on Mission and was right before the Clock Tower. My daughter was in the back seat with my grandsons, and I said, "I think we need to pull over. I think I have a flat tire."'Table Tennis Club Information: The Santa Cruz Table Tennis Club meets 7-11 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in the basement of the Portuguese Hall, 216 Evergreen St., Santa Cruz. The entree fee is $5 to play on any of the multiple pro tables. Visit santacruztabletennisclub.org.